Chrysanthemum plant named `Coral Blush`

ABSTRACT

A Chrysanthemum plant named Coral Blush particularly characterized by its flat capitulum form; daisy capitulum tupe; coral-orange ray floret color; diameter across face of capitulum of 114 to 121 mm when fully opened, when grown as a pinched disbudded pot mum; photoperiodic flowering response to short days of 51 to 55 days; plant height, with 20 to 22 long days after sticking unrooted cuttings, and with 1 to 2 applications of 2500 ppm B-9 SP, ranges from 23 to 30 cm when grown as a pinched pot mum with 4 cuttings in a 15 cm pot; branching pattern is semi-spreading, each plant having 3 to 5 laterals after pinch; and recommended as a disbudded pot mum.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum, botanically known as Deneranthema grandiflora, and referred to by the cultivar name Coral Blush.

Coral Blush, identified as 5657 (86-627A02), is a product of a mutation induction program. The new cultivar was discovered and selected by Cornelis P. VandenBerg on Jul. 23, 1990, in a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif., as one flowering plant within a flowering block established as rooted cuttings from stock plants which had been exposed as unrooted cuttings to an X-ray source of 2000 rads in Fort Myers, Fla., on Jan. 25, 1990. The irradiated parent cultivar was the cultivar identified as Blush, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,985, and described as a disbud daisy pot mum with flat capitulum form; soft pink ray floret color; diameter across face of capitulum of 114 to 140 mm when fully opened, when grown as a pinched disbudded pot mum; flowering response period of 47 to 55 days after start of short days; plant height of 23 to 28 mm with 1 to 3 applications of 2500 ppm B-9 SP when grown as a pinched pot mum in a 15 cm pot; semi-spreading branching pattern, with 3 to 5 laterals after pinch; and recommended as a disbudded pot mum. The foregoing description of Blush has a somewhat wider range of measurements than the description of Blush in the noted plant patent. This is based on continued flowering trials of Blush after preparing and filing the patent application for Blush.

The irradiation program resulting in Coral Blush had as its primary objective the expansion of color ranges of the parent cultivar Blush. The irradiation program comprised irradiating cuttings of the parent cultivar at irradiation levels of 1500, 1750 to 2000 rads. A total of 1433 cuttings harvested from a total of 225 irradiated plants were planted on May 28, May 21 and May 14, 1990, respectively. Of these, 19 initial selections were made, which selections were then revegetated and reflowered. Three consecutive flowerings resulted in discarding 12 of the original 19 selections on Apr. 23, 1991. Seven selections were retained and given PI (Possible Introduction) status. Continued flowering trials resulted in discarding 3 of the 7 remaining selections, and the decision to introduce 2 of the remaining selections in North America and Europe as Coral Blush and White Blush. White Blush is disclosed in pending application Ser. No. 08/296,467. Other siblings retained and introduced were Pink Blush, disclosed in application Ser. No. 08/331,863, and Orange Blush, disclosed in application Ser. No. 08/331,856.

The first act of asexual reproduction of Coral Blush was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in September 1990 in a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif., by technicians working under supervision of Cornelis P. VandenBerg.

Horticultural examination of controlled flowerings of successive plantings has shown that the unique combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for Coral Blush are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

Coral Blush has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity and daylength, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following observations, measurements and comparisons described plants frown in Salinas, Calif. under greenhouse conditions which approximate those generally unsed in commercial greenhouse practive.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of Coral Blush, which, in combination, distinguish this Chrysanthemum as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Flat capitulum form.

2. Daisy capitulum type.

3. Coral-orange ray floret color.

4. Diameter across face of capitulum of 114 to 121 mm when fully opened, when grown as a pinched disbudded pot mum.

5. Photoperiodic flowering response to short days of 51 to 55 days.

6. Plant height, with 20 to 22 long days after sticking unrooted cuttings and with 1 to 2 applications of 2500 ppm B-9 SP, ranges from 23 to 30 cm when grown as a pinched pot mum with 4 cuttings in a 15 cm pot.

7. Branching pattern is semi-spreading, each plant having 3 to 5 laterals after pinch.

8. Recommended asd a disbudded pot mum.

The accompanying photographic drawing is a side view of a potted mum of Coral Blush, with 4 cuttings in a 15 cm pot, with the colors being as nearly true as possible with illustrations of this type.

Of the commercial cultivars known to the inventor, the most similar in comparison to Coral Blush is the parent cultivar Blush. All traits of Coral Blush are similar to thosse of Blush, except for the ray floret color. The ray floret color of Coral Blush is coral-orange, while the ray floret color of Blush is soft pink.

In the following description color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart. The color values were determined on plant material grown as a pinched spray pot mum in Salinas, Calif. on Jul. 28, 1992.

Classification:

Botanical.--Dendranthema grandiflora cv Coral Blush.

Commerical.--Flat daisy disbud pot mum.

INFLORESCENCE

A. Capitulum:

Form.--Flat.

Type.--Daisy.

Diameter across face.--114 to 121 mm when fully opened.

B. Corolla of ray florets:

Color (general tonality from a distance of three meters).--Coral-orange.

Color (upper surface).--23D, streaked and overlaid with 29C to 29D.

Color (under surface).--12D, tinged with 20C.

Shape.--Straight, pointed, slightly ribbed.

C. Corolla of disc florets:

Color (mature).--7B.

Color (immature).--144A to 144B.

D. Reproductive organs:

Androecium.--Present on disc florets only; scant pollen.

Gynoecium.--Present on both ray and disc florets.

PLANT

A. General appearance:

Height.--23 to 30 cm when grown as a pinched pot mum with 20 to 22 long days prior to start of short days, with 1 to 2 applications of 2500 ppm B-9 SP.

Branching pattern.--Semi-spreading, with 3 to 5 laterals after pinch.

B. Foliage:

Color (upper surface).--147A.

Color (under surface).--147B.

Shape and size.--Moderately lobed and serrated; leaves are 74-85 mm long and 45-50 mm wide. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named Coral Blush, as described and illustrated. 